Springfield-Greene
County LibraryEarly and Recent History and Genealogical Records
of Many of the Representative Citizens
TIMOTHY J. WRIGHTSMAN. "Through struggle to triumph" seems to be the maxim which holds sway with the majority of people, that is, those who attain to a successful goal at all, must find it after arduous effort. And, though it is undoubtedly true that many fall exhausted in the conflict, a few, by their inherent force of character and strong mentality, rise above their environment, and all which seems to hinder them, until they reach the plane of affluence toward which their face was set through the long years of struggle that must necessarily precede any accomplishment of great magnitude. Such has been the history, briefly stated, of Timothy J. Wrightsman, one of Greene county's pioneer business men and Civil war veterans, who, after a long, busy and useful life, is living in retirement in his attractive home in Springfield, spending the December of his years in quiet, as he is now in his seventy-seventh year.
Mr. Wrightsman is the scion of an old Southern family and hails from the Old Dominion, "the mother of Presidents," his birth having occurred in Roanoke,Virginia, November 13, 1838. He is a son of Joseph and Kesia (Beckner) Wrightsman, both natives of Virginia, also, the father's birth having occurred in 1808, and the mother was born there in 1818. They grew to maturity in their native state, attended the early-day schools and were married there, and devoted their lives to agricultural pursuits, and the father was also a cabinet maker by trade, and made a great deal of fine furniture in his early life, thereby getting his start in the business world. He remained in Virginia until about 1849, when he removed his family to Illinois, remaining in that state until the year 1857, when he brought his family overland to Greene county, Missouri, locating a few miles south of Springfield, where he spent the rest of his life in farming and was drowned in a small creek in that vicinity in January, 1883. His wife had preceded him to the grave twenty years, having died in 1863, in Illinois. To these parents ten children were born, six of whom are still living, namely: Sarah and Julia are both deceased; Timothy J., of this sketch; Ann lives in Ozark, Missouri; Lear is deceased; George lives in Florida; Abbie lives in Webb City, Missouri; Susan lives in Kansas; Rebecca lives in Rich Hill, Missouri, and Edward is deceased.
The Wrightsman family is of German descent, the paternal grandfather of our subject, Alexander,Wrightsman, being born in Germany, from which country he emigrated to the United States in Colonial days and located in Virginia, where he became well established through his industry. He was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, taking part in a number of principal engagements.
Timothy J. Wrightsman was nine years old when his parents removed from Virginia to Illinois, and there he grew to manhood, living there for a period of eight years, when he removed with his father and the rest of the children to Greene county, Missouri, in 1857, since which time he has been a resident of this locality, and during that period of nearly sixty years he has seen great changes "come over the face of the land," the forests changed into productive farms, the wild prairies reclaimed on which peaceful herds now graze, and small villages grow into cities of wealth and renown. In his boyhood days he worked hard on the farm, and attended the rural schools, receiving a limited education. In 1875 he began operating a flouring mill at Walnut Grove, Greene county, which he continued for four years, then ran a grocery store at Shell City, Missouri, for four years, then, in the fall of 1883, he came to Springfield and engaged in the grocery business on East Commercial street, continuing this line there for a period of twenty-six years, during which time he enjoyed a large and lucrative trade, ranking among the best known and most popular grocers on the north side. He always carried a large and well selected stock of fancy and staple groceries and dealt honestly and courteously with his hundreds of customers, retaining their confidence and good will to the last. He accumulated a comfortable competency through his judicious business management and retired from active life in 1903, since which time he has been living a quiet life, merely looking after his various real estate holdings. He has a fine residence on North Campbell street.
Mr. Wrightsman served three years during the Civil war in Company E, Third Missouri Cavalry, Confederate army, under Captain Thompson. He first served under old "Dick" Campbell, having enlisted in the fall of 1861. He saw considerable hard service, including the battle of Pea Ridge, his first real engagement. He did not participate in the battle of Wilson's Creek, being held a prisoner in Springfield by the Federals at that time.
Mr. Wrightsman was married on January 11, 1870, in Christian county, to Mildred Chestnut, a daughter of Judge Chestnut, one of the first judges of that county. He and his wife were natives of Ohio, from which they removed to Taney county, this state, in 1833, and were therefore pioneers of the Ozark region. James Chestnut, brother of Mrs. Wrightsman, was the first man killed in Christian county, on account of the Civil war, he having been murdered by bushwhackers, while serving as deputy sheriff.
Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Wrightsman, namely: Fred, born in 1871, is a freight conductor on the Frisco, and lives in Springfield; Walter, born in 1873, lives in Texas and is employed by the Dean Drug Company; Frank, born in 1876, lives in Oklahoma; Herbert, born in 1878 lives in Monett, Missouri; Cora E., born in 1880, is the wife of S. O. Duemler, and they reside in Springfield.
Politically, Mr. Wrightsman is a Republican, but he has never been active in public affairs, preferring to leave the troubles of public office to others, merely striving to do his duty as a fair-minded citizen.
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